Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-05-12
With Substantial Enterprise Re-
building Will Soon be Com-
monced. sg

municated to buildings on either
side, and despite the greatest efforts
to stay their course they swept
through the entire block. The
building Immediately west OF that
in which the fire started was the
postoffice, where the greatest effort
of the nights work was made toI
stop the fire. 1t was pulled down,
many Of the pieces already in flames
and water most freely applied and
every effort put forth to save the
remainder Of the row, but all were
of little avail. From there the course
of the flames was uninterrupted I'M
til the end of the block was reached,
when eleven of Extras best business
buildings, occupied by some of her
most prosperous and enterprising
business men, had been sacrificed to
feed the merciless flames. The de-
struction was accomplished in a re-
markably short time, for it was not
over an hour from the time the fire
was discovered in the Fulton build
ing until the frame of the tenth one
istant had fallen to the ground.
After the building next west OF the
postofiice had fairly caught the prop
crty was virtually at the mercy OF
the fire. The work of rescuing the
goods from the stores was the most
that could be done, but into this the
people entered with zest, and 1t IS
much to their credit that although
the time afforded was so short, a
large amount OF goods was taken
out. They worked in the most in
tense heat, and in some cases work
I'd after discretion would have or
iered them away from danger.
While the buildings were burning
on the north side Of the street it was
hard BATTLE to save the business
houses on the south side of the street
from destruction. Many times they
caught from flying cinders and again
from the heat alone, but ready hell
md hard fighting won. In these
buildings, among which is the Extra
bank, the window panes and large
lights were broken into hundreds of
pieces. Scorched and charred sidings
md signs tell how intense was the
heat and how near these buildings
came to sharing the fate of those
| opposite. An almost miraculous
example OF the protecting power OF
salt is afforded in a residence stand
ing few feet north Of the burned
row. 1t was saved and alone by
salt which was thrown in thick
covering over the roof.
The facts that the town has very
meagre facilities for combating the
enemy and that all the wells in the
vicinity failed before the work was
nearly done, show that the citizens
must have put forth extraordinary
effort to save so many isolated
buildings and so much goods from
the buildings in the line of the holo
caust.
! There is no certainty as to thu
origin of the fire. Mr.. Fulton, O
Fulton Bros, in company with Gus
/. toners, left his store at late hour
, and just before going out touched
match to paper in the stove, which
had accumulated until the stove wa
full. The fire is supposed to hav'
originated from this, while other
theerize that it was of incendiar,
origin.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The first building on the east en'
/ Of the row was occupied by Messr'
, Witthauer & Bowman with grocer
les and provisions. They were jus
f completing an addition that mad
n them a room 10 feet deep by u fee
: in width. Estimated loss on build
d ing and stock about $1,000; insu'
d ance $500 on building and $500 o
e stock, in Capital insurance compan
: of Des Moines.
It Fulton Bros. occupied the secon
p building with hardware and imple
IS ments, upon which they carrie
> ST. 900 insurance in the Trade
e company. Their loss is estimate
1t at ST. 900 above the insurance. TT
y building was the property Of Pet
rs Kommes, and was without il
e. surance.
y The third building, used for Il
lie transaction of Uncle Sans bushes
E. was owned by Peter Kommes al
ID was also without insurance. Pos
n master Mailman heard the cry
lie fire just as he arrived home aft
lie locking up the Office at night. +
lie reached the office in time to secu
ce the stamps on hand and few p
~ pers, but postal cards to the val
ne of $40, with mail pouches, m;
Or matter and the mail boxes, ct
no were totally destroyed. The po'
is master was officiating under t
friendly shade of a maple tree "
I'd terday.
m. Next to the postoffice Conklir
-. | " ooh SdiilCd q otOSh Vi SIOCCIl
III ~, in a building owned by J. E. To
al. Insurance upon the building expir
bill three days prior to the fire. T
the firm carried $1,000 insurance
me stock.
orc The fifth building was owned a
on the first floor occupied by F.
cir Shaw, dealer in furniture and und,
re- taking. l. L. Statzell, attorney
ION law, and Theo. L. Patty, insurar
' a. agent, had offices in the second sto
an Mr.. Statzell will lose $500 in fur
to ture and books, although he rema
ent ed in the building and threw Doc
. ,sd through the window after the sta
Md way was filled with smoke. n
ing Patty loses numerous papers, but
SOL happy in that he saved his regis
nm of business transacted during
,hs years in the field. Mr.. Shaw c
IN. ried $500 insurance on his buildi
est and stock, His total loss will RET
ISL VIM. Carnenter carried a sfock